February 11, 2010

Learn How Lupus Can Affect Your Cardiopulmonary (Heart & Lungs) System

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can affect almost any part of your body, most often your joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood, or brain.

Your heart, blood vessels, and lungs make up your cardiovascular/pulmonary network: "cardio" refers to the heart, "vascular" refers to the arteries, veins, and capillaries, and "pulmonary" refers to the lungs. Your blood circulates through this vast system, transporting oxygen and other elements needed for your cells and tissues to function properly. Cardiologists are the physicians who specialize in the heart. Pulmonologists are the physicians who specialize in the lungs.

February is Heart Health Month

As such, the Lupus Foundation of America would like to further educate people living with lupus about heart disease.

Heart disease is a major complication of lupus and is now a leading cause of death among people with lupus. Blood tests, chest X-rays, an electrocardiogram (EKG), or an echocardiogram may be used to find out if you have a heart condition caused by lupus.

Learn more about how lupus can affect your heart & lungs.

1 comment:

The Undomestic Mom said...

Wow, I had no idea! Thank you for sharing this!